Methods for embedding device-specific data to enable remote access to real time device data

ABSTRACT

The invention provides systems and methods for providing a unified single-scan user interface for accessing and managing a remotely located device throughout its life cycle, including cellular network provisioning, cloud data provider registration, initialization and activation, as well as providing end users with easy access to the device and its data. The end user simply powers the device on and the device automatically connects with the communication network and the cloud data provider. The device comes to the end user already provisioned and paired and activated with the cloud data provider and the communication network provider. The device is capable of monitoring operational and/or environmental parameters comprising physical and/or chemical data which may be monitored by a mobile device. The mobile device may also initiate modification of the manufactured device&#39;s parameters.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Patent ProvisionalApplication Nos. 61/586,368, 61/586,385, 61/586,439 and 61/586,397 allfiled Jan. 13, 2012, and 61/640,162 filed Apr. 30, 2012, the entirecontents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates generally to systems, devices and methods forimproved provisioning, automatic network joining and easy access andmanagement of remotely networked devices.

2. Description of the Related Art

Machine-to-Machine (M2M) communication device provisioning and devicesetup is quite complex today, with limited functionality, from an enduser perspective. Generally, known systems require the end user tointeract with each node, manually provision with a data service,manually establish user and security credentials, and manually connectwith a data repository or database. Simplification of this process isone of several objectives of the present invention.

Systems and methods exist that use unique device information encoded onlabels, e.g., quick response (QR) codes for providing interactiveapplications and services to a user via, e.g., mobile devices. Knownmobile devices such as a smartphone comprise a scanner to scan the QRcode of the labeled object. Typical applications use the QR code or dataor the QR code to direct to a specific URL. QR codes are currently usedin broader contexts spanning commercial tracking applications, such astracking parts in vehicle manufacturing processes, andconvenience-oriented applications targeting mobile device users. SeeU.S. Pat. No. 5,726,435 for disclosure of two-dimensional opticallyreadable codes, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated byreference.

Other machine-readable labels, i.e., scannable codes, relating to aninformation topic about a particular product or device exist. Forexample, bar codes, Microsoft TAG or other label on a device comprisingunique device information are known in the art.

The types of information typically encoded on known machine-readablelabels may comprise data such as serial number(s) or other uniqueidentification data for a product, device and/or individual componentsor subcomponents, Media Access Control (MAC) address, and the like.

Known exemplary solutions are in U.S. Pat. No. 7,055,737 to Tobin, USapplication 2009/0287498 to Choi, U.S. Pat. No. 7,779,125 to Wyngardenand U.S. Pat. No. 7,912,426 to Masera, the disclosures of which arehereby incorporated in their entirety.

What is not known in the art are systems or methods that provide, interalia, a unified single-scan user interface for accessing and managing aremotely located device throughout its life-cycle, including cellularnetwork provisioning, cloud-data provider registration, initializationand activation, as well providing end users easy data access relating tothe device.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides systems and methods for providing a unifiedsingle-scan user interface for accessing and managing a remotely locateddevice throughout its life cycle, including cellular networkprovisioning, cloud data provider registration, initialization andactivation, as well as providing end users with easy access to thedevice and its data. The end user simply powers the device on and thedevice automatically connects with the communication network and thecloud data provider. The device comes to the end user alreadyprovisioned and paired and activated with the cloud data provider andthe communication network provider. The device is capable of monitoringoperational and/or environmental parameters comprising physical and/orchemical data which may be monitored by a mobile device. The mobiledevice may also initiate modification of the manufactured device'sparameters.

The figures and the detailed description which follow more particularlyexemplify these and other embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of thefollowing detailed description of various embodiments of the inventionin connection with the accompanying drawings, which are as follows.

FIG. 1 is a schematic of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a schematic of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a schematic of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a schematic of one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION, INCLUDING THE BEST MODE

While the invention is amenable to various modifications and alternativeforms, specifics thereof are shown by way of example in the drawings anddescribed in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that theintention is not to limit the invention to the particular embodimentsdescribed. On the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of theinvention.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system level diagram of one embodiment of thepresent invention. The inventive system 100 begins with manufacture ofat least one exemplary manufactured device, e.g., a sensor withoutlimitation, at a manufacturing facility 101.

“Device” as that term is used herein is defined as a structure thatcommunicates between two or more networks and may comprise gateways,nodes and that may be controlled or monitored remotely including,without limitation, monitoring conditions such as with a sensor,controlling functionality and device characteristics, and actuating orde-actuating device functionality(ies).

The exemplary system 100 comprises a manufacturing software tool as iswell known to the skilled artisan and which performs functional testing102 on an exemplary manufactured device such as, without limitation, asensor device, at the site of the manufacturer 101 of the device. Themanufacturing tool's functional testing 102 comprises testing of thefunction of the exemplary manufactured device as well as the capabilityof adding the manufactured device to a device database 104 via a deviceweb service 106. The device database 104 and device web service 106 are,as illustrated, located within a device engine 108.

The functional test 102 comprises actual device testing, e.g., in theexemplary case of a temperature sensor testing is conducted to determinethe sensitivity and range, e.g., of the device as well as thefunctionality of the device's radio modem or other network connectivitymechanism. In addition, the functional test 102 comprises registrationor addition of the device's identification data, including unique datasuch as the device's serial number, as well as non-unique data, ifpresent, to the device database 104 via the device web service 106 ofthe device engine 108. In addition to the serial number of the device,the functional test 102 may also register or add additional deviceidentification data, such as model type or number, and/or radio modemaddress and/or mobile equipment identifier (MeID), as well as the uniqueidentifier mapped to the QR code.

The device web service 106 is in operative communication with themanufacturing tool and with the functional test 102 and receives therebythe results of the functional testing 102, in addition to one or moreservers which are well known in the art and therefore not shown in theillustration. In addition, the device engine 108 comprises a devicewebsite 110 in operative communication with the device database 104which is, in turn, in operative communication with the device webservice 106. Device website 110 comprises a webpage to which theidentification label, e.g., a QR code, resolves when scanned as is wellknown in the art. Device website 110 has a webpage URL encoded by theexemplary QR code to which the QR code resolves to as well known in theart once scanned by a distributor 601 or customer, end user 801 with,e.g., a smartphone or other similar device having scanning capabilitiesand connectivity to the internet.

Initially, the device's status at this stage of manufacture isUnassigned as it relates to the cloud data provider 160 and Unassignedas it relates to its communication network supplier 162. As definedherein, communication network supplier may supply communicationscomprising one or more of the following categories:

(1) wide area networks (WAN) comprising, for example and withoutlimitation, wireless cellular networks and network providers and/orsatellite uplinking networks and network providers;

(2) local area networks (LAN) comprising, for example and withoutlimitation, wifi networks and network providers;

(3) personal area networks (PAN) comprising, for example and withoutlimitation, Bluetooth networks and Bluetooth network providers and NearField Communications (NFC) networks and NFC network providers, as wellas ZigBee/802.15.4 as an exemplary communication class; and

(4) Ethernet.

The several states of the device and the transitions from state-to-stateare described in further detail herein.

Once the exemplary manufactured device's information is added to thedevice database 104, the manufacturer then initiates generation of theidentification label, in the illustrated case a QR code, for the devicebeing manufactured. The QR code may contain unique and, in some case,non-unique data obtained during the manufacturing process and based onthe identifier data provided to the device database 104 by thefunctional test process 102, via device web service 106. A preferred,but certainly not limiting, unique identifier data element for encodingon the QR code is the exemplary manufactured device's serial number.

The QR code may, in some cases, be assigned additional data as thedevice progresses through the later steps of distribution kitting anddevice activation.

The device engine 108, comprising device web service 106, devicedatabase 104 and device website 110, is in operative communication with,inter alia, the communication network provider 162 and the cloud dataservice provider 160 via operative communication with device web service106 and the communication network provider 162 and cloud data serviceprovider 160.

When the device is registered, or added to, the device database 104 viathe device web service 106, by manufacturer 101, a scheduled job isprovided in order to register or provision the device with the clouddata service provider 160 wherein the device engine 108, via device webservice 106, instructs the cloud data provider 160 to add the exemplarymanufactured device as, e.g., a serial number or other uniqueidentifier. If registration or addition of the device's serial number orother unique identifier with the cloud data service provider 160 issuccessful, the device's status relative to the cloud data provider 160moves from Unassigned to Assigned as Serial Number. This process occurswhile the device is still within the factory or manufacturing facility101.

The factory provisioning process concludes with provisioning of theexemplary manufactured device with both the cloud data provider 160 andthe communication network provider 162. Thus, the device database 104 ofdevice engine 108 also automatically activates, then suspends, thedevice's network radio modem by negotiating with the communicationnetwork provider 162. After successful negotiation with thecommunication network provider 162 in this activity, the device'snetwork radio modem status, i.e., its network state, with thecommunication network provider 162 moves from Unassigned to NetworkActivated, then to Network Suspended pending action by the distributor601 and the end user or customer 801. The device engine 108 coordinatesand drives the factory provisioning process with the cloud data provider160 and the communication network provider 162.

At this point, the device is factory provisioned and ready for furtherprocessing through the distributor 601 once an order from the end useror customer 801 is received. The device may remain at the manufacturer'sfactory facility until a customer order is received, at which point thedevice is transferred to the distributor 601. Alternatively, once thedevice is manufactured and the factory provisioning is complete, thedevice may be transferred to the distributor 601 to be stocked whilewaiting a customer or end user 801 order.

Generally, as illustrated in FIG. 1, once a customer or end user 801order is received, the distributor 601 will initiate distributionkitting by scanning the identification label, e.g., the QR codepreviously developed and affixed to, and embedded within, the device. Asdiscussed and as is known in the art, the QR code encodes a URL thatcomprises the device's identifier information, e.g., the device's serialnumber. Thus, when scanned by, e.g., a mobile device with scanningcapability, e.g., a smartphone or the equivalent, the QR code resolvesto a webpage on the device engine website 110 with a pointer to, e.g.,the device's serial number. This webpage within device website 110 mayalso cause actions to be taken based on the device's status and providefeedback to the user 801.

As stated supra, when the distributor 601 first scans the device's QRcode, the device pairing and activation activities are initiatedrelating to the communication network provider 162 and the cloud dataservice provider 160, taking advantage of the device's status followingthe factory provisioning process. The distribution kitting process isdiscussed further below.

Once the distribution kitting process is completed by the distributor,the device is activated with the communication network provider 162 andpaired and activated with the cloud data service provider 160, thedevice's status is active with both the communication network provider162 and with the cloud data services provider 160. A primary advantageis the resulting simplicity for the customer or the end user 801 whowill only need to power the device on in order to enable the activateddevice 142 to automatically join the network and access relevant data.

Following shipment by the distributor of the activated device 142 to theuser 801, the user 801 need only power the device 142 on. The activateddevice 142 may be a single networked device or may be one of severaldevices within, or added to, a device network 150 comprising more thanone networked device. Each networked device, and the device network, isin operative communication with the device engine 108, including thedevice engine website 110, the device database 104, the device webservice 106, the cloud data services provider 160, and the communicationnetwork provider 162. Thus, the activated device 142 and/or devicenetwork 150 may transmit and receive data from the device engine'swebsite 110 and the cloud data services provider 160 to end user 801.

The activated device 142 may automatically connect with thecommunication network provider and the cloud data provider on theinitial power up and/or each successive power up in certain embodimentof the present invention.

As a result, if, for example, and as illustrated, the customer or enduser 801 wishes to scan the QR code specific for the activated device142, or otherwise access the QR code embedded therein, the customer oruser 801 may view the relevant data of the activated and operationaldevice 142. In the exemplary case, the device 142 is, in addition to thedefinition of “device” provided above, a sensor, e.g., a temperature orhumidity sensor, though many other devices are contemplated and withinthe scope of the present invention. In addition, other types of devicesthat may be manufactured and distributed to enable automatic joining ofa network upon powering on comprise sensors for monitoring one of thegroup consisting of: tank level, liquid leakage, movement, speed(accelerometer) and vibration as are well known to the artisan. Inaddition, other types of devices amenable to the inventive system andmethods described herein will readily present themselves to the skilledartisan. For example, and without limitation, devices amenable to theinventive system and methods described herein include devices formeasuring distance, sound, pressure, voltage, current, speed, position,velocity, acceleration, weight, wavelength, frequency, period, dutycycle as well as determining whether a switch or circuit is open orclosed. Each such device is within the scope of the inventive system andmethod.

Thus, generally, the present invention requires the subject product ordevice to be marked and/or embedded with unique encoded data, capturedduring the specific device's manufacturing process, to assist inidentifying the particular product or device during the inventiveprocess. Identification labels, for example and without limitation QRcodes, Microsoft TAG solutions may be employed for this purpose.

Exemplary types of unique data that may be captured during themanufacturing process and used to populate the identification labels,e.g., QR code, comprise: Serial number(s) for the particular device orproduct, components or subcomponents thereof, identification data, mediaaccess control address (MAC), international mobile equipment identity(IMEI) data, subscriber identity module (SIM), machine-to-machine (M2M)identity module (MIM) data. Further, non-unique data may be encoded onan identification label, and/or embedded within the product or devicesuch as, without limitation, product family identities, product data,brand data and fixed or variable uniform resource locator(s) (URL) data.

As discussed, FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of the present inventionat a general system level. There are three basic component systemswithin the inventive system:

Manufacturing where device provisioning occurs;

Distribution, where device kitting, pairing and pre-joining occurs; and

End user, where device activation and use occurs.

Each of these three basic component systems comprising inventive system100 will be discussed now in more detail.

Manufacturing Device Provisioning:

FIG. 2 thus illustrates one embodiment of the creation of the exemplarydevice and provisioning of that device by the manufacturer. We alsorefer to FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 which illustrate the states of the exemplarymanufactured device in the provisioning process relating to the clouddata provider 160 and the cellular network provider 162.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the exemplary device is, under thepresent invention, in one of the following five states 300 relative tothe cloud data provider 162 at all times:

1. Unassigned 310. The unassigned state 310 is the state existingbefore, and during, the adding of the device into the device enginedatabase 104 within device engine 108 as discussed above and which, whencomplete, triggers a pending request for subsequent registration of thedevice with the cloud data provider 160.

2. Assigned As Serial Number 320. The assigned-as-serial-number state320 occurs when the device's serial number is registered with the clouddata provider 160. Thus, this state occurs following the establishmentof the unassigned state 310 and execution of the pending request forregistration of the device with the cloud data provider 160. If thedevice's serial number is unable to be registered with the cloud dataprovider 160 for any reason, the device's status returns to unassigned310.

3. Assigning As Device 330. The assigning-as-device state 330 occurs asthe device is being registered as a device during the distributingkitting process. A device enters this state by having its identificationlabel, e.g., QR code, scanned for the second time. Such second scan ofthe exemplary QR code is performed by the distributor 601 during thedistribution kitting process which will be discussed in greater detailbelow. Assigning As Device 330 is a transient state, dependent upon thesuccess of the registration of the device; typically a device willremain in this state no longer than a few seconds.

4. Assigned As Device 340. The assigned-as-device state 340 occurs whenthe device is successfully registered with the cloud data provider 160.A device enters this state when the cloud data provider 160 provides anotification to the device engine 108 of the assigning-as-device 330activity.

5. Activated Device 350. The activated state 350 occurs when the devicehas (1) been activated with the cloud data provider 160 and (2) itsunique device identifying data is entered into the device database 104within device engine 108.

The Unassigned 310 and Assigned-as-Serial-Number 320 states occur at themanufacturing site during a factory provisioning process. The remainingstates, i.e., Assigning-as-Device 330, Assigned-as-Device 340 andActivated Device 350 states are initiated and completed by thedistributor 601 or, alternatively, by the end user 801.

The device in the present invention also comprises a radio modem as iswell known in the art and which is always in one of three states 400 asillustrated in FIG. 4, with continued reference to FIGS. 1 and 2:

1. Unassigned 410. The device's radio modem is in the unassigned state410 when the device is added to the device database 104 within deviceengine 108 by the manufacturer 101.

2. Network Activated 420. The device's radio modem is in thenetwork-activated state 420 after the data plan is activated through thecommunication network provider 162. This occurs immediately aftersuccessful addition of the device to the device database 104 of thedevice engine 108 by the manufacturer 101.

3. Network Suspended 430. The device's radio modem is suspended in thenetwork-suspended state 430. This suspension occurs immediately aftersuccessful network activation and is performed by manufacturer 101.

As discussed briefly above, the exemplary manufactured device isprovisioned during its manufacturing process, referred to herein asfactory provisioning 500 as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, withcontinued reference to FIGS. 3 and 4. This process transforms a newlymanufactured device into a fully network-activated device that iscorrectly configured to report data to the cloud data provider 160.

Factory provisioning 500 thus comprises a functional test process 510which, inter alia, registers, or adds, the device with/to the devicedatabase 104 as shown in FIG. 1. The functional test process 510registers the device's unique identifier data, e.g., serial number,model and/or radio modem address into the device database 104 in step520. Initially, the device state as it relates to the cloud dataprovider 160 is Unassigned 310 and its radio modem network state is alsoUnassigned 410 as it relates to the communication network provider 162.

The manufacturer 101 next initiates generation of the QR code, or otherlabeling mechanism such as Microsoft TAG as described above in step 530.The QR code may be printed and affixed to the device for future scanningand data transmission and reception 540. The QR code is further embeddedwithin the device to enable future communication and data transmissionand reception 540. The functional test process embeds the QR code in thedevice. This allows the device, once deployed in the field, to query thedevice database 104 for its unique cloud data provider identifier,referred to hereinafter as “CIK”, and which will be obtained during thedevice's distribution kitting process described in detail below.

The QR code is generated by the device database based on the uniqueidentifier data provided to the device database 104 by the functionaltest process 510. The QR code may, preferably will, be assigned furtherdata as the device progresses beyond manufacturing 101 throughdistribution kitting and device activation.

Registration, or addition, of the device with the device database 104within device engine 108 also queues the device to be registered withthe cloud data provider 160. A scheduled job is provided whichautomatically handles device provisioning with the cloud data provider160.

The factory provisioning process 500 concludes with the deviceprovisioning with both the cloud data provider 160 and the communicationnetwork provider 162 in step 550 and proceeds in two phases. First,device provisioning with the cloud data provider 160 occurs when thedevice engine 108 instructs the cloud data provider 160, via anautomatic scheduled job, to add the device as a serial number to thecloud data provider's database records. If the serial number issuccessfully added to the cloud data provider 160, the device's statusrelative to the cloud data provider 160 after provisioning moves fromUnassigned 310 to Assigned as Serial Number state 320. The device engine108 also activates, and suspends, the network modem of the device bynegotiating with the communication network provider 162. Thus, thedevice's radio modem state, i.e., its network state, with thecommunication network provider 162 moves from Unassigned 410, to NetworkActivated 420 and Network Suspended 430.

Distribution Kitting:

We now refer to FIG. 6, within continued reference to FIGS. 1-5 todescribe the system level distribution kitting, pairing and pre-joiningprocesses occurring at the distributor 601. Following the factoryprovisioning process described above, the exemplary manufactured devicemoves from the manufacturer 101 to the distributor 601 where, inresponse to a customer or end user 801, order, the distribution kittingprocess 600 occurs, which (1) pairs the device with a specific useraccount, (2) activates the device with the cloud data provider 160 and(3) activates the device with the communication network provider 162.Scanning the device's QR code is the primary method for transitioningthe device from state to state through the distribution kitting process600. FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate one embodiment of this process 600, 700 inflow chart form.

The customer or end user 801, purchases a device which, as discussedabove may comprise a gateway, from the distributor 601 in step 710 andcreates a user account with the cloud data provider 160 in step 720. Thedistributor 601 only needs the customer's mailing address for shipmentof the device 730 once the user account has been created.

Once an order is received by a customer 801 and a customer accountcreated 710, 720, the device moves from the manufacturing facility orfactory to the distributor 740. An alternative embodiment comprisesshipping the device from the factory to the distributor 740 in bulk andthe distributor 740 waits for a customer order to send off a single set,or sets, of devices. The distributor 601 then scans the identificationlabel, e.g., QR code that is affixed on the device in step 750, therebyinitiating the pairing and activating process. This QR code encodes aURL that includes the device's serial number. As discussed, the QR code,scanned by a device comprising well known software for this purpose,resolves to a webpage on the device engine website with a pointer to itsserial number in step 760. This webpage will cause appropriate action(s)to be taken based on the status of the device and provide feedback tothe user.

When the distributor first scans the device's QR code, the pairing andactivating processes are initiated in step 750. By the time the end userreceives the device after purchase, all that is require to access thedata is to power on the device.

In this way, device pairing with the user's account with the cloud dataprovider is accomplished as part of the distribution kitting process 700by scanning the device's QR code.

After this scan of the device's QR code and resolution of the QR code tothe webpage with the device's serial number 750, 760, the device statusrelative to the cloud data provider 160 is moved from Assigned as SerialNumber 320, as the device's state was following the factory provisioningprocess discussed above, to Assigning as Device 330. Assigning As Device330 is a transient state, indicating that the software is negotiatingwith the cloud data provider 160. The cloud data provider 160 willindicate success or failure of process with a callback. If no responseis received by the distributor 601 from the cloud data provider 160, thedevice's software reverts back to the Assigned as Serial Number state320.

If the device is successfully paired with the user's account with thecloud data provider 160, the cloud data provider 160 will invoke acallback to the device engine 108 and the device's state moves toAssigned as Device 340. The device engine 108 will then instruct thecloud data provider 160 to (1) activate the device, and (2) obtain thedevice's unique cloud data provider identifier or CIK, an element wellknown in the art. The CIK is, as described above, stored in the device'sengine database 104. If the activation of the device is successful, thedevice's state relative to the cloud data provider 160 changes fromAssigned as Device 340 to Activated Device 350. If activation fails, thestatus of the device remains Assigned As Device 340 and the failuretracked.

The communication network provider 162 is also called by the distributor601 to activate the device on the cellular wireless network, moving thedevice from Network Suspended 430 to Network Activated 420 asillustrated in the Figures.

The device is now ready to be shipped to the end user 801 for joiningthe device network and is fully provisioned and activated with respectto both the wireless network provider 162 and the cloud data serviceprovider 160.

Device Activation and Network Joining by User:

FIG. 8 illustrates one system level embodiment of the device activationand network joining process 800 while the process is illustrated in flowchart form in FIG. 9. When the device is powered on by user 801 andwakes up 902, it locates a gateway in its local wireless network 904using techniques known to the skilled artisan. This allows the newdevice to join an existing gateway in the field. It is a possibilitythat the device may break up an existing pairing between it and aprevious gateway in the field, based on signal quality.

Having obtained wireless, cellular, network connectivity via the gateway904, the device connects to the device engine to obtain its cloud dataprovider CIK by sending its QR code to the cloud data provider 906, 908.These steps in the inventive process allows for the device to connect tothe previously created user account with the cloud data provider 160, towhich it was previously paired via the CIK during the distributionkitting process described above.

Thus, the device connects to the cloud data provider 160 using its clouddata provider CIK to retrieve its configuration message for setup 908.The cloud data provider 160 transmits in response a setup configurationmessage to the device 910. Based on the setup message transmitted fromthe cloud data provider 160 to the device, the device configures itselfto conform with the setup message parameters and instructions 912. Inthe case of a remote sensing device, e.g., a temperature monitor, thetemperature monitor is configured to conform with the parameters andinstructions contained within the setup message such as maximum/minimumtemperature, reporting frequency and other parameters dictating the typeand frequency of the message being transmitted from the device to thecloud data provider 160. At this point the device is operational andruns within the network 914.

Once a device is activated, its QR code can still be scanned by, e.g.,the customer or end user 801 in order to, inter alia, allow the end user801 to obtain data from the device as illustrated in FIG. 10. In thiscase, the webserver will redirect its URL to the cloud data provider 160in step 918 where the customer or end user may view its device's data920.

The device of the inventive system and method may be of various types,e.g., gateway devices comprising both cellular network, e.g., CSMA, GSM,as well as local area wireless network, capabilities. The gatewaydevices provide connectivity to the device engine website as well as thecloud data provider, via the cellular network radio modem.

Another device embodiment may comprise sensor nodes which have onlylocal area wireless network capabilities. Sensor node devices readsensor data and leverage the gateway devices, as pass throughcommunications means, for connecting to the device engine website aswell as the cloud data provider, via the cellular network radio.

The inventive manufacturing and distribution process enable pairingsensor node devices to gateways in the factory/manufacturing anddistribution channel so that when the customer or end user powers thedevices up they begin working without further interaction or stepsrequired by the customer. Further, a customer may select both the numberand type of sensor nodes at the time of purchase and the device enginewill pair the purchased devices with the gateway during kitting. Thus,the customer may configure the sensor-gateway combination at the time ofpurchase yet only needs to power on and scan the devices to access thedata.

In various embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to use amobile device, e.g., a smartphone or other device having internet accessand scanning capability, to provision one or more devices manufacturedaccording to the above disclosure. More specifically, product-specificinformation or data obtained at the point of manufacture for individualdevices is captured and encoded on known machine-readable identificationlabels. Such identification labels may comprise, e.g., QR codes,Microsoft TAG solutions and the like.

Exemplary types of unique data that may be captured during themanufacturing process and used to populate the identification labels,e.g., QR code, comprise: Serial number(s) for the particular device orproduct, components or subcomponents thereof, identification data, mediaaccess control address (MAC), international mobile equipment identity(IMEI) data, subscriber identity module (SIM), machine-to-machine (M2M)identity module (MIM) data. Further, non-unique data may be encoded onan identification label, and/or embedded within the product or devicesuch as, without limitation, product family identities, product data,brand data and fixed or variable uniform resource locator(s) (URL) data.

Under this embodiment of the present invention, the encoded informationor data on the identification label may be also compiled in a table,wherein the table resides in a remote database accessible by internetvia scanning an identification label with the remote device, e.g., asmartphone. The QR code, Microsoft TAG, or equivalent, once scanned,allows the user to view a URL, i.e., webpage, that allows the deviceassociated with the scanned identification label to be provisionedremotely based on the specific encoded information. Such provisioningmay comprise, without limitation, powering up whereby the remote devicethen automatically joins an end user's communication network and a clouddata services provider, automatically joins a device network and/or isin automatic communication with the communication network and cloud dataservices provider as discussed supra.

In addition, a device manufactured under the present invention maycomprise provisioning that allows a remote mobile device to actuate,power up, power down, modify parameters, and monitor real timeoperational data relating to, or controlled by, the manufactured device,or monitor real time environmental data within which the device isdeployed, e.g., physical and/or chemical levels, for exampletemperature, humidity, carbon monoxide levels, tank levels and the like,within sensing range of the manufactured device. Moreover, once theenvironmental data levels have been sensed by the manufactured device,the mobile device, e.g., smartphone, may be used to control relevantelements on the manufactured device in order to adapt to or maximizeperformance of the manufactured device under the prevalent sensedenvironmental data levels.

Further, it is possible, once the real time operational data has beenobtained for the manufactured device, to use the mobile device, e.g.,smartphone, to modify or adjust the manufactured device in order tomodify or adjust the manufactured device's operational data output,e.g., to bring the operational data into compliance or simply adjust theoutput to desired levels.

The present invention should not be considered limited to the particularexamples described above, but rather should be understood to cover allaspects of the invention. Various modifications, equivalent processes,as well as numerous structures to which the present invention may beapplicable will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art towhich the present invention is directed upon review of the presentspecification.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for obtaining, with a mobile devicehaving internet access and scanning capability, operational data from aremotely located device regarding the device, comprising: manufacturinga device with a network radio modem; providing provisioning andactivation of the device with a communication network provider duringthe device manufacturing and distribution process wherein thecommunication network supplier supplies a network from one of the groupconsisting of: a wide area network, a local area network, a personalarea network and an ethernet network. providing provisioning of thedevice with a cloud data services provider during the devicemanufacturing and distribution process; remotely locating the devicefrom a user within a device network, the device and device network inoperative communication with the communication network supplier and thecloud data services provider; automatically joining the device with thecloud data services provider and the communication network supplier uponpower up by the end user; obtaining device-specific data for themanufactured device; embedding the device-specific data obtained on anoptically scannable identification label; attaching the identificationlabel to the manufactured device; entering the device-specific data in adatabase; scanning the identification label with the mobile device toobtain access to the manufactured device and to view the database dataregarding the remotely located device; using the mobile device, poweringup the accessed manufactured device; and using the mobile device,communicating with the device to obtain real time operational data. 2.The method of claim 1, wherein the real time operational data obtainedcomprises physical and/or chemical parameters that are controlled by themanufactured device.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the mobile devicemay be used to modify the physical and/or chemical parameters that arecontrolled by the manufactured device.
 4. The method of claim 1, whereinthe wide area communication network comprises a wireless cellularnetwork and/or a satellite uplink network.
 5. The method of claim 1,wherein the local area network comprises a wifi network.
 6. The methodof claim 1, wherein the personal area communication network comprises aBluetooth network, a ZigBee network, a 802.15.4 network, and/or a NearField Communication network.
 7. The method of claim 1, wherein themobile device comprises a smartphone.
 8. A method for obtaining, with amobile device having internet access and scanning capability,operational data from a remotely located device regarding theenvironment the device is deployed within, comprising: manufacturing adevice with a network radio modem; providing provisioning and activationof the device with a communication network provider during the devicemanufacturing and distribution process wherein the communication networksupplier supplies a network from one of the group consisting of: a widearea network, a local area network, a personal area network and anethernet network. providing provisioning of the device with a cloud dataservices provider during the device manufacturing and distributionprocess; remotely locating the device from a user within a devicenetwork, the device and device network in operative communication withthe communication network supplier and the cloud data services provider;automatically joining the device with the cloud data services providerand the communication network supplier upon power up by the end user;obtaining device-specific data for the manufactured device; embeddingthe device-specific data obtained on an optically scannableidentification label; attaching the identification label to themanufactured device; entering the device-specific data in a database;scanning the identification label with the mobile device to obtainaccess to the manufactured device and to view the database dataregarding the remotely located device; using the mobile device, poweringup the accessed manufactured device; and using the mobile device,communicating with the device to enable the device to sense real timeenvironmental data.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the mobile devicemay be used to modify or adjust elements of the manufactured device toadapt to the physical and/or chemical parameters in the environmentaldata sensed by the manufactured device.
 10. The method of claim 8,wherein the wide area communication network comprises a wirelesscellular network and/or a satellite uplink network.
 11. The method ofclaim 8, wherein the local area network comprises a wifi network. 12.The method of claim 8, wherein the personal area communication networkcomprises a Bluetooth network, a ZigBee network, a 802.15.4 network,and/or a Near Field Communication network.
 13. The method of claim 8,wherein the mobile device comprises a smartphone.
 14. A newlymanufactured device capable of being accessed by a mobile device to viewoperational or environmental data when joined in a network, with furthermodification of operational parameters initiated by the mobile device,comprising: a radio modem, in operative communication with a deviceengine and a user via QR code scanning, wherein the newly manufactureddevice comes to a customer having a customer's user account; and a datasensor, in operative communication with the radio modem, the devicehaving been: activated relative to a communication network supplierwherein the communication network supplier is selected from the groupconsisting of a wide area network supplier, a local area networksupplier, a personal area network supplier, and an ethernet networksupplier; provisioned and activated relative to a cloud data serviceprovider, and paired with the customer's user account, wherein thedevice automatically joins the network supplied by the communicationnetwork supplier when first powered up and thereby becoming a networkeddevice capable of generating or sensing data; obtaining device-specificdata for the manufactured device; embedding the device-specific dataobtained on an optically scannable identification label; attaching theidentification label to the manufactured device; entering thedevice-specific data in a database; scanning the identification labelwith the mobile device to obtain access to the manufactured device andto view the database data regarding the remotely located device; usingthe mobile device, powering up the accessed manufactured device; andusing the mobile device, communicating with the manufactured device toobtain real time operational or environmental data and, if necessary, tomodify operational parameters of the manufactured device.
 15. The methodof claim 14, wherein the wide area communication network comprises awireless cellular network and/or a satellite uplink network.
 16. Themethod of claim 14, wherein the local area network comprises a wifinetwork.
 17. The method of claim 14, wherein the personal areacommunication network comprises a Bluetooth network, a ZigBee network, a802.15.4 network and/or a Near Field Communication network.
 18. Thedevice of claim 14, further comprising the customer remotely viewingdata relating to the device by scanning the QR code relating to thenetworked device.
 19. The device of claim 14, wherein the device is agateway device comprising both cellular network and local area wirelessnetwork communication capabilities.
 20. The device of claim 14, whereinthe device is a gateway device comprising cellular network, wifinetwork, Ethernet network, and satellite uplink network communicationcapabilities.
 21. The device of claim 14, wherein the mobile devicecomprises a smartphone.
 22. The device of claim 14, wherein the devicecomprises sensor nodes with local area wireless network capability. 23.The device of claim 14, wherein the device's data sensor comprises asensor for monitoring one of the group consisting of: tank level,temperature, humidity, liquid leakage, movement and vibration.
 24. Thedevice of claim 14, wherein the device's data sensor comprises a sensorfor monitoring one of the group consisting of: distance, sound level,pressure, voltage, current, weight, and wavelength.
 25. The device ofclaim 14, wherein the device's data sensor comprises a sensor formonitoring velocity, acceleration, and position.
 26. The device of claim14, wherein the device's data sensor comprises a sensor for monitoringone of the group consisting of velocity, acceleration and position. 27.The device of claim 14, wherein the device's data sensor comprises asensor for monitoring frequency, period and duty cycle.
 28. The deviceof claim 14, wherein the device's data sensor comprises a sensor formonitoring one of the group consisting of: frequency, period and dutycycle.